Process for stencil dyeing designs on fur pelts



Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,663,850 PATENT ,OFFICE.

GEORGE J. LAEMMLE, on NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BARNET LEATHER. COMPANY, Ina, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

PROCESS FOR STENCIL DYEING DESIGNS ON FUR PELTS.

No Drawing. Application filed July 27,

This invention relates in general to a process for dyeing furs, and more particularly has reference to a process for dyeing designs on fur pelts.

It is generally the custom to dye fur pelts to improve naturally defective coloring or markings and also various types of furs are dyed to simulate higher grade furs. It is generally necessary in either improving the quality of a fur or imitating other furs to dye designs on the pelt in accordance with the original designs or the markings which are sought to be imitated, although fanciful designs are sometimes employed.

In most instances many graduations of shades occur on the fur or within a single design, and there is usually a shading as well between the edge of the design and the body of the pelt. A

Previous to this time, it has been customary in the art of improving fur pelts or in imitating other skins to dye the hair by the brush method in which the dye is applied against the fall of the hair with a brush with or without guides. Patterns conforming as nearly as possible with the designs desired to be applied are cut out of sheet metal. The patterns are rigidly clamped down on the pelt and solutions of dye repeatedly brushed on against the fall of the hair. The dye has a tendency to run making it necessary to maintain the skin in a horizontal position at all times. Despite all precautions, however, the percentage of smudge work is usually very high, and the convex and concave irregularities caused in the skin by the heavy patterns prevent an even application of the dye.

It is exceedingly difficult to obtain. a natural effect when the operation is performed without any guide, and even if stencils made out of sheet metal are employed, it is only possible to get a rough imitation of the natural marking or striping. The edges of the designs on the stencil have been serrated in an attempt to obtain a natural effect,'. but this has proved to cause even a greater amount of soiling and blotching of the skins than when the usual crude methods were followed. The excess of dye required in using the old methods also has a deleterious effect on the skin and roots of the hair and irritating to the mucous membrane of persons coming in contact with the skins, as the partially oxidized products of the ex- 1927. Serial No. 208,899.

cess are deposited in the form of particles on the surface of the hair which come off as dust if the pelt is disturbed.

It has further been impossible to dye designs on certain types of pelts sucn as calf skins having the hair growing in different directions from a center dead spot rather than in one direction from the head to the tail as in the case of most fur pelts. As it is necessary to apply the dye against the fall of the hair in the brushing process it has been impossible, heretofore, to successfully dye designs on skins having a pelage of this character.

. An object of this invention is to provide a process for obtaining natural effects in imitating markings on fur pelts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a process of imitating markings on fur pelts without employing an excess of dye.

A further object of this invention is to provide a process for imitating the markings on fur pelts in which smudge work is eliminated.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the operation to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary steps comprising my invention may be varied in sequence or the elements in composition, without departing-from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In carrying out this invention, I employ a method of applying the dye and a form of dye described in my copending application Serial N o. 208,898, in which there is set forth a process for dyeing fur pelts in a stenciling apparatus through a silk screen by forcing the dye with a squeegee through silk onto the surface of the hair. An oxidation product dye is employed which has previously been dissolved in a solution of some suitable viscous substance.

In carrying out this invention the silk screen or other suitable foraminous material employed, is impregnated so that the dye may only pass through portions of the screen and be deposited in defined areas on the fur elt to simulate animal markings or fanciful esigns.

The preparation of the silk screen for applying designs ordinarily used according to the invention set forth in the above named application for uniformly dyeing entire fur pelts, may be accomplished by any of the conventional methods of preparing ordinary silk stencil screens for customary usage. For simulating animal markings, it has been found that photographic reproductions on the screen afford the most exact imitations.

These designs may be reproduced on the silk by photoengraving transfer according to any of the conventional processes now in use.

The usual procedure in the preparation of a stencil is to reproduce the design on a regular photoengraving steel plate, which has been etched out with acid in the conventional manner, insuring the accurate reproduction of details. According to this invention the screen is impregnated with a suitable nitrocellulose lacquer, otherwise known as a gun cotton solution and while the lacquer is still damp a comparatively heavy photoengraving plate is imposed on the impregnated screen, so that when the plate is lifted, the

lacquer is removed wherever the surface of the plate made contact with the screen. The lac uer remaining on the silk is then allowed to ry so that all the pores surrounding the open designs arev closed with the lacquer. In this manner, the dyecan only go through the remaining openings forming the designs. Various dye solutions require different lacquers.

After the screen has been prepared with the desired designs or striping the dye is applied in the same manner set forth in my copending application hereinbefore mentioned. It is t e general practice to first dye the entire pelt a solid color preferably according to my process and subsequently dye on the designs or striping.

If a shading between the basic color and the markings is desired, especially in the striping this may be attained by applying the designs or striping on the pelt before the primary color is fully dried and allowing the coloring on the edges to blend.

It is manifest that-the direction ofthe growth of the hair on the skin or pelt has no effect on the application of designs or striplng according to this process as the dye is applied both with and against the fall of the hair so that an even and uniform deposit is insured. It is also obvious that this invention is in no wise restricted to application with fur pelts such as calf skins, but is intended also" for all types of pelts as well as a number of other materials according to the process set forth in my copending application hereinbefore mentioned.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myselfto the precise steps and materials, and compositions herein set forth and described, as it is apparent that many changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art, such as for instance that other methods of preparing the screens may be employed or other materialsused without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims. 1

I claim:

1. A process for making designs on fur pelts comprising applying coloring matter to the surface of the hair through foraminous material with relatively fine passages therethrough, outlined in the form of the design.

2. A process for making designs on fur pelts comprising forcing coloring matter on the surface of the hair through foraminous material having relatively fine passages impregnated in outline of a design.

3. A process for making designs on fur pelts comprising thickening coloring matter and forcing the thickened coloring matter on the surface of the hair through a relatively line screen outlined in the form of a design.

4. A process for making designs on fur pelts comprising thickening a dye base and forcing the thickened dye base through a silk screen outlined in the form of designs.

5. A process for dyeing designsv on the hair of fur pelts to any desired depth comprising applying a dye base conforming with the designs to the hair and regulating the quantity of dye applied to the hair to allow the dye to progress by capillary attraction to the desired extent down the hair.

6. A process for making designs on the hairof fur pelts to any desired depth comprising applying thickened coloring matter conforming to the designs to the hair, and regulating the quantity applied to the hair to allow the coloring matter to progress by capillary attraction to the desired extent down the hair.

7. A process for dyeing designs on the hair of fur pelts to any desired depth comprising forcing a thickened dye base, on the surface of the hair .through a relatively fine mesh screen outlined in the form of designs, and regulating the plasticity of the dye base to vary the quantity applied to the surface of the hair.

8. A process for dyeing designs on the hairof fur pelts to any desired depth comprising forcing a thickened dye base, on the surface of the hair through a silk screen outlined in the form of designs, to apply a uniform coating of the dye base conforming with the designs and regulating the plasticity of the dye base to vary the quantity passed through the si screening, and of proper viscosity to progress the proper depth down the length of the hair.

9. A process for making designs on hair a of fur pelts comprising applying coloring matter on the surface'of the hair through 'foraminous material having relatively fine apertures outlined in the form of designs and regulating the quantity of the dye applied to the hair.

,10. A process for dyeing designs on hair of fur pelts comprising stretching the fur pelt, thickening a dye base, and forcin the thickened dye base, on the surface of the hair through a silk screen outlined in the form of designs to apply a uniform coating of an oxidation product dye.

11. A process for making designs on fur pelts comprising coloring the pelt with a primary color and applying coloring matter through foraminous material having relatively fine passages outlined in the form of designs on the primary color.

12. A process for making designs on fur pelts comprising coloring the pelt with a primary color and applying dye through oraminous material having relatively fine apertures outlined inthe form of designs on the surface of the primary color before the primary color is dry.

13. A process for makin designs on fur pelts comprising coloring ur pelts with a 15. A process for simulating animal markings in dyeing designs on fur pelts comprising dyeing through designs in screening having relatively fine mesh outlined in the form of designs formed by photographic transfers of the markin s.

16. A process for simulating ammal markings in dyeing designs on fur pelts comprising applying coloring matter through a silk screen outlined in the form of designs formed by photographic transfers o f the markings. t In testimony whereof I afiix my signaure.

GEORGE J. LAEMMLE. 

